HYANNIS – PFAS cleanup efforts are full steam ahead again at the regional fire training academy after some delays.
The PFAS contamination in the groundwater and soil was traced back to firefighting foams used in training back in November of 2013.
Monitoring wells are to be installed this month to help determine how far contamination has spread, but permission was needed from Mass Fish and Wildlife, as the nearby properties are under their control.
Officials emphasized that drinking water hazards have been mitigated since the initial discovery years ago and there is no exposure risk.
The contaminant is described as a ‘forever chemical’ as it doesn’t break down readily in the environment. Exposure to PFAS has been linked to several negative health outcomes, including potentially increased cancer risk.
$15 million dollars has been set aside by Barnstable County for a PFAS Groundwater Treatment System that will see design this spring.
Cape and Islands State Senator Julian Cyr has spearheaded legislation that seeks to ban the chemical in consumer products by the end of the decade.
About Grady Culhane
